The University of Houston (UH) Libraries seeks a collaborative, forward thinking leader to serve as Head of the Preservation and Reformatting Department (PARD). The Head of PARD provides leadership and vision for a growing preservation program. The position ensures long-term stewardship of libraries’ collections across formats, facilities, and functional areas, in alignment with the Libraries’ strategic goals.

Reporting to the Associate Dean for Special Libraries and Preservation, the Head of PARD collaboratively develops preservation policies, priorities, initiatives, and workflows for the UH Libraries. This position coordinates and engages in collections preservation, including oversite of: digitization and reformatting, digital preservation, environmental monitoring, emergency preparedness, and disaster mitigation planning for collections. The Head of PARD manages department personnel, providing coaching and support for effective goal setting and professional development.

The University of Houston prepares students to thrive in a globally interconnected world while contributing impactful research and innovation to the region and beyond. We welcome candidates who are prepared to engage in this environment.

The Head of Preservation and Reformatting is a promotion-eligible librarian position. Librarians hold academic rank pursuant to the University of Houston Libraries’ Bylaws Document. They are expected to develop a record of service, scholarship, and professional involvement. UH Libraries supports the ongoing professional development of librarians, and our goal is to recruit librarians committed to continuous learning.

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree from an American Library Association (ALA)-accredited program
• Demonstrated experience managing preservation in a library, museum, archive, or related field
• Demonstrated knowledge of preservation and collection care best practices, current issues, and trends for analog, audiovisual, and born-digital materials
• Demonstrated ability to provide vision and leadership for a library department

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with best practices for the care of cultural heritage objects, including artwork, artifacts, and textiles
• Demonstrated experience establishing preservation priorities in collaboration with stakeholders and organizational leadership
• Familiarity with environmental monitoring, collections space planning, and emergency planning and recovery.
• Experience working effectively with external partners, including vendors
• Professional experience with budget management and reporting

Salary: Salary is dependent on qualifications and rank. Department head salary ranges are $90,000-$92,000 for Assistant Librarians and $97,000-$99,000 for Associate Librarians. Comprehensive benefits package; choice of retirement programs, including TIAA; tax-deferred annuity program available; release time to take a class up to 3 hours/week; no state or local income tax.

Application Deadline: Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Applications should be submitted at https://careers.uh.edu/jobs/head-of-preservation-and-reformatting-librarian-houston-texas-united-states. Visit the UH Libraries Employment page for more information: https://libraries.uh.edu/about/employment/. Potential applicants seeking further information should contact Santi Thompson, Interim Associate Dean for Organizational Development, Learning, and Talent, at 713-743-9685 or sathompson3@uh.edu.

As part of their application, candidates should include contact information for three (3) professional references and an unofficial transcript of their ALA-accredited library/information science degree.

Official transcripts are required for a faculty appointment and will be requested upon selection of the final candidate. All positions at the University of Houston-System are security sensitive and will require a criminal history check.

Library Information: UH Libraries is a member of the Association of Research Libraries, the Greater Western Library Alliance, HathiTrust, the Council on Library and Information Resources, the Digital Library Federation, the Texas Digital Library, Associate of Academic Health Sciences Libraries, and the South Central Academic Medical Libraires Consortium. The campus libraries provide access to over 3.1 million volumes. The University Libraries’ total staff is 160 FTE, including 62 professionals. Additional information about UH Libraries is available at https://libraries.uh.edu. UH Libraries’ 2021-2027 strategic plan (https://libraries.uh.edu/strategic-plan) is in alignment with the University’s ambitious strategic plan (https://uh.edu/strategic-plan/).

General Information: The University of Houston, a dynamic research institution founded in 1927, stands as a vibrant hub of academic excellence and cultural diversity in Texas. With over 46,000 students, it offers a comprehensive range of programs across 15 colleges, fostering innovation in fields such as energy, health, hospitality, business, education, law, STEM, and the humanities. Boasting top-tier faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, student success initiatives, and a strong commitment to community engagement, UH prepares students to thrive in a globally interconnected world.

The University’s prime location in America’s fourth-largest city supports extensive industry partnerships and experiential learning opportunities. Renowned for its energy industry and NASA’s Space Center, Houston is home to a vibrant cultural scene with world-class museums, theaters, and restaurants. The University of Houston is an institutional member of the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical center in the world. Houston thrives as a hub for innovation, education, and arts, fostering a unique blend of community charm and modern progress.

The University of Houston System and its universities are Equal Opportunity Institutions. Everyone is encouraged to apply